One High Line – ADC

Joining a notable collection of buildings by architects such as Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel, and Shigeru Ban on New York’s Highline, ‘One High Line’ features two distinct residential towers, 36 and 26 stories high, respectively, each twisting in synchronisation with the other.

The base of each tower pulls away from neighbouring buildings, offering an array of sight lines over the city and the Hudson River. The design is akin to Bjarke Ingels Group’s previous work in Miami, where two towers on the Florida shoreline spiral upwards with the primary aim of offering sea views to residents. Further up the East Coast, views of the water are still a priority, with each towers’ massing allowing for unobstructed city and river views.

As the towers rise to heights of 300 and 400 feet, their sloping facades open up, allowing light and air to penetrate the courtyard below – a move that not only enhances the visual impact of the towers, but also ensures that the lower levels receive ample natural light.

The strategic manipulation of form and mass is also a response to New York City’s zoning regulations, which dictated a podium height of 60-85 feet and two independent towers to handle the massing. The podium has been designed for continuous circulation, with independent, double-height bridge elements linking the podium volumes.

A defining element of the design is a perpendicular plane that slices through both towers, running from southwest to northeast. This plane creates a clear division between the volumes, ensuring that both the east and west towers benefit from expansive views. The scheme also takes into account a neighbouring warehouse building to the south, with the base of the towers set back to create necessary separation. The rotation of the base not only addresses the spatial constraints but also transfers square footage to areas with better sight lines, optimising the building’s footprint.

On the façades of each tower, two corners have been carved away, creating additional separation between residential units, reducing overall bulk and addressing the need for privacy, while emphasising the dynamic movement of the towers as they rise.

The façade is also inspired by the punched windows characteristic of the historic warehouses in the nearby Meatpacking District and West Chelsea neighbourhoods. Its pattern follows the building’s structural grid, which steps in response to the movement of the towers’ geometry.

The project includes a range of additional facilities, including below-grade parking, a five-story commercial building, and a multi-level retail space that fronts a public plaza along 10th Avenue, directly beneath the High Line. A through-block street between 17th and 18th Streets provides access to the towers’ residential lobbies, with a landscaped inner courtyard serving as a car drop-off point.

One High Line offers residents a 75-foot-long swimming pool, a fitness studio with private training rooms, steam rooms and saunas, and a private treatment room, while recreational amenities include a glass-enclosed double-height bridge lounge, a golf simulator and virtual gaming studio, and private dining spaces with a catering kitchen. The development is also set to house the five-star Faena Hotel, which will include a 17,000 square foot spa.